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Wednesday, March 28, 2018

University of Minnesota Pro Day Notes

Minnesota hosted their annual Pro Day with several draft eligible prospects drawing interest from NFL scouts. Daniel House has notes from the day, including testing numbers.

Minnesota held their annual Pro Day in the new Athletes
Village at the University of Minnesota. More than 22 NFL teams were in
attendance to watch 12 Gophers and three small school players workout. It was
an important opportunity for players as none of them were invited to the
combine last March. The scouts paid particularly close attention to defensive
tackle Steven Richardson, running back Kobe McCrary, linebacker Jonathan
Celestin and cornerback Kunle Ayinde.

Running back Kobe McCrary stole the show with many of his
testing numbers. He had 25 bench press reps to go along with a 36-inch
vertical. His bench press would have ranked third among NFL Scouting Combine
participants, while his vertical jump was sixth. He ran a 4.75 40-yard dash,
but has personally ran in the upper 4.6 range during his personal workouts.
McCrary’s on-field workouts displayed a player with excellent balance and
agility, along with reliable hands. At Minnesota, he hid in the shadows behind
two other solid running backs, but made his mark on the field. He rushed 94
times for 496 yards and eight touchdowns. He transferred to the Gophers after
playing behind Chris Carson at Butler Community College. McCrary had one of the
best statistical outputs for yards after contact last season, according to PFF.
His stock certainly should rise after today’s workout, where he displayed the
complete upside in his skill-set.

Defensive tackle Steven Richardson didn’t have a reported
40-yard dash time, but tested relatively well when you consider his frame.
During on-field workouts, Richardson displayed his bend and quickness off the
snap. He changes direction well and projects as a three-technique situational
pass rusher. His testing doesn’t give justice to the full skill-set he can
provide at the next level. When he is lining up against offensive linemen, he
has the ability to win by staying low and using his explosion. During on field
testing, he showed off his quick hips and ability to change direction quickly,
which makes him very unique as a player.

Cornerback Kunle Ayinde led all Gophers with a 10-foot broad
jump. He showed his lower body explosiveness and short-range quickness. Ayinde
ran an unofficial 4.71 40-yard dash, according to reports. However, other hand
times had him faster (low 4.6 range). He also added a 34" vertical. Ayinde
flashed in the on-field drills showing off his agility and movement in and out
of breaks. On tape, he shows an ability to make physical plays against the run.
Ayinde has embraced the underdog role, working his way into a rotational
starting role after being a walk-on. He puts in work and is regarded highly by
teammates and coaches for his preparation.

Linebacker Jonathan Celestin put together an impressive
senior campaign. He finished second on the team with 78 tackles (55 solo)
including 5.5 for a loss. Celestin also had a pick-six, showing off his
coverage skills. He is a very rangy linebacker with excellent instincts.
Celestin was a captain on the team last year, stepping up as a vocal leader on
defense. He tested well during the Pro Day workout, posting 27 bench reps. This
number would have ranked him second among Scouting Combine participants. He can
latch onto an NFL team as a solid special teams player with developmental upside
at the linebacker position.

P/K- Ryan Santoso

Punter Ryan Santoso was booting punts and field goals during
the Pro Day. Many teams view him as a combination specialist (punts/kicks or
kicks/kickoff). He came up just short on a 70-yard field goal try and was
accurate from 50-plus yards out. I view Santoso more as a place kicker at the
next level. He displays impressive leg and showed range in drills. He has been
training with other prospects in Alabama and learning from a position coach. A
team might elect to sign Santoso as a training camp leg. He was a placekicker earlier in his career, hitting 29 of his 39 tries, including a 52-yard game-winner against Purdue.

The Gophers had three small school players at the Pro Day,
but one really stood out. St. John’s wide receiver Evan Clark had a 36.5”
vertical with a frame just over 5-foot-10. He also added 18 bench press reps
and ran a 4.51 40-yard dash. During on field workouts, he was very smooth when
asked to run intermediate routes. Clark also displayed reliable hands, catching
passes outside his frame. I could see him being a player teams will bring into
camp as a return man. If things go well, he could be a spark-plug player offensively.
Clark has high upside and certainly displays excellent short-range
quickness/agility.